Western slid down one spot from last year, landing tied for No. 8 in the 2017 Maclean’s University Rankings, released Oct. 26.
The self-professed “holy book for anyone planning their education in Canada” ranked McGill University first in the Medical Doctoral category, which boasts 15 schools including Western. The University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Queen’s University and University of Alberta rounded out the Top Five. Showing the static nature of the rankings, there was no year-to-year change in the Top 5.
At No. 8, Western was tied with the University of Ottawa, one spot ahead of the University of Calgary.
Western peaked in the Maclean’s rankings at No. 3, where it sat for four straight years (2002-5). It has been no higher than No. 5 (2006) since.
In the Medical Doctoral category-by-category breakdown, Western ranked highest in library acquisitions (No. 2), students services (No. 5) and medical science grants (No. 5). Western ranked lowest in operating budget, total research dollars and social science/humanities grants, all at No. 11.
Two Western programs – Business (No. 4) and Psychology (No. 5) – were ranked in the Top 5 across the country, according to the magazine’s 2017 Program Rankings, released Oct. 31. Other programs ranking nationally included Education (No. 10), Nursing (No. 10), Medicine (No. 10), Engineering (No. 11), Environmental Science (No. 14), Biology (No. 15), Mathematics (No. 18) and Computer Science (No. 20).
Students ranked Western at No. 5 among their favourite schools in the Medical Doctoral category.
THROUGH THE YEARS
Western peaked in the Maclean’s rankings at No. 3, where it sat for four straight years (2002-5). It has been no higher than No. 5 (2006) since. Its lowest rank, No. 11 in 2012.
2015 – No. 7
2014 – No. 8
2013 – No. 9
2012 – No. 11
2011 – No. 9
2010 – No. 9
2009 – No. 9 (tied with Ottawa and Saskatchewan)
2008 – No. 10 (tied with Ottawa)
2007 – No. 7
2006 – No. 5
2005 – No. 3
2004 – No. 3
2003 – No. 3 (tied with Queen’s)
2002 – No. 3 (tied with McGill)
2001 – No. 6
2000 – No. 5
1999 – No. 5
1998 – No. 5
1997 – No. 9
1996 – No. 6
1995 – No. 7
1994 – No. 8